Technical Field
The present invention relates to a flexible hinge device having a cooperative operating structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a flexible hinge device having a cooperative operating structure which can reduce a difference in length between the first and second plates and the flexible display screen using only a configuration of the hinge unit without an additional variable means, and can bend each of the segmental members constituting the hinge unit at the same angle.
Background Art
In general, along with the development of a communication technology and a semiconductor and an optical technology, recently, a portable terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet PC or the like which enables the Internet access by improving a cellular phone is highly in the spotlight. The use of the portable terminal changes all the living environments of the human beings, which brings about a revolution in the science and technology. In particular, the tablet PC has an advantage in that it has a wide display screen, but still entails a shortcoming in that it is large in volume and is inconvenient to carry.
In an effort to improve this problem, a flexible display having flexibility has been proposed. As a prior art relating to such a flexible display substrate which is capable of being folded and stretched, a flexible display substrate has been disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2010-0112383. The flexible display refers to a display which can be rolled in a roll shape or can be folded or bent like paper, and is free in the design of an outer appearance thereof. In addition, since the substrate has flexibility and thus is easily not broken, the flexible display is strong in strength. Further, the flexible display can be considered to be a display which employs a thin and lightweight substrate.
Meanwhile, the most basic type of the flexible display will be a type which can be carried in a state in which the flexible display is folded to half to cause the volume thereof to be reduced to half. Even in this case, the flexible display cannot be folded at right angle like a sheet of paper, and it is preferably to fold the flexible display in a shape having a gentle curvature.
As a device configured to fold the flexible display as described above, a foldable flexible display device with a load formation means has been disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1467857.
The flexible display device separately includes a variable means composed of a movable plate disposed on a large area of the rear surfaces of the first and second plates and connected to a hinge member, and a guide member that guides the forward and rearward movement of the movable plate in order to solve a problem of the occurrence of a difference in length between first and second plates and a flexible display screen attached to the top surfaces of the first and second plates when a hinge unit is bent.
However, the conventional flexible display device entails a problem in that the first and second plate is increased in thickness and the configuration thereof is also complicated.